Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 8

What I want in the wireless area is GSM phone capability. I don't want a PIM and a cell phone. Instead I want a PIM and a hands free kit (bluetooth?!). I feel the urge to call someone more often than the urge to surf somewhere when I am away. Also with the GSM in the PIM you could surf too..

/Kallisti

Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 44

The more I think about cost and size implications and my needs, the better the infomitt module sounds. I don't want a module which significantly increases the form factor of the visor, nor pay exhorbitant monthly fees.

Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 73

exactly. That's why a separate cellphone that connects to your visor through a simple cable is the easiest and cheapest way to go. And it is available now (no expensive springboard module, no expensive wireless data service). A Sprint PCS cellphone, cable, and $9.95/month.

A separate cellphone will always make more sense than an add-on module in my opinion for the following reasons:

1) cost: I doubt an add-on module could ever approach the value/cost of existing cellphones. Existing cellphones are cheap because of economies of scale - enormous volume has dropped the cost curve to commodity pricing (i.e., razor thin margin). It is hard to believe that an add-module could compete with the Nokias/Qualcomms,etc. on a price/performance scale.

2) batteries/weight: batteries are a large proportion of a cellphone's physical size and weight. An add-on module it seems would require the same to be effective.

Bluetooth, to me, adds unnecessary cost and IR may prove too awkward to align. A simple cable makes more sense.

A combined PDA/cellphone is heavy and bulky. We all have Visors and probably own, or will own a cellphone. To me, a simple cable connecting the two makes the most sense. That way, when the next cellphone comes out (i.e., new features, and cheaper), you can ditch your old one and just plug in your new one.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

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The more I think about cost and size implications and my needs, the better the infomitt module sounds. I don't want a module which significantly increases the form factor of the visor, nor pay exhorbitant monthly fees.

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Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Pretty much all Skytel services let you have an email address @skytel or something similar. I would be surprised if the InfoMitt didn't have email capability.

On the other hand, that could be a blessing in disguise with signatures and all the stupid jokes people like to send.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

James:

Right you are. I was going off my recollection of InnoGear's old FAQ page on the InfoMitt. Global Access' site does list an email address as being included with the pager. Now the InfoMitt actually seems useful. Has anyone received one yet?

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

I got tired of waiting for the six-pack and got AT&T pocketnet with the Mitsubishi T250 with 10-line display and 8 megs. I really like it--the movie schedules, email, updates from Traffic Station, news, driving directions, shopping services, phone directories, etc--to while away my lunch hour--and best of all it's only $15 per month for the premium service, and the time you spend surfing doesn't count against your air time. If I'd known that, I'd have gotten it sooner. The screen is smaller than the handspring's and typing on a phone keyboard is more of a hassle than grafitti is, but it's here now and it works fine. And I doubt there will be a wireless service in the near future that's only $15 per month, though I'd hope this would start pushing prices down. I no longer subscribe to avantgo but just go directly to the sites I'm interested in. And I don't carry the Visor around anymore, which really lightens the load--PocketNet has a PIM so I can do without the Visor. Someone with a lot of email to deal with might not be happy with it, but for me it's working out great.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Watertown MA, USA
Posts: 15

quote:

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Originally posted by VTL:
I'm dying for a module that will enable a Visor to have some of the functionality of a RIM Blackberry. I depend heavilly on email to communicate with clients, and right now if I'm out of town I have to lug a laptop with me.

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: College Station, TX
Posts: 143

I will want wireless soon, but maybe not quite yet.

I have wireless Ethernet within my home using an Apple Airport to connect my laptop. It's really nice in ways that I didn't think about ahead of time. Moreover, on the web I see examples of it being used in even cooler ways than my little at home network. For example, 1) they used it to give roaming access to unconnected email within the San Jose convention center - thus, even if people didn't have their own wireless ISP, they could use the one for the conference while they were there.
2) There's a link from Apple's website to a digital photojournalism site that describes using an Airport network with only two nodes to control a digital camera above the rim at the NBA finals.

I think that messaging will be nice, but other things that rely on wireless/GPC combos will be the real killer apps. When my flight into DC was delayed a couple of weeks ago, I <B>really<?B> would have loved to be able to find an all-night diner near my hotel without wandering aimlessly on the streets.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

Airport rocks. We use it in our offices, which are decked out with iMacs, G4s and iBooks. The editors with the iBooks can bring them into the conference room during meetings. Still, I'd prefer a persistent connection to the internet. When I'm in the office I already have internet access from my PC. I'd like a wireless solution that would enable me to access the net when I'm not at home or at work.

Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 44

To expound on my earlier post, given that I'm at home or at my office computer most of the time, I get my internet access from a desktop. When I'm in a meeting or outside, it would be great if people could send me a written message, and that's what the infomitt could do. Now, of course, I'd like the ability to respond, but -from the pricing and style of the current two-way offerings, its just not worth it for me. As for internet on my visor, Avantgo gives me about 90% of what I'd do on the internet anyway.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 241

quote:

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Originally posted by Charo:
And Sprint is now selling a phone combined with a Palm III device, featuring a large screen, to use for that $9.95, see below. So the question is the PDA going to be combined with a phone or is the PDA going to have a wireless phone module attached with internet capabilities.

See for complete description & picture: http://s4.sprintpcs.com/learn/show_...p?sku=TKABG0002

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 241

Wireless would be a nice, but I certainly don't need it. I'll wait until the price drops to about $40 for a unit, (or springboard) and about $5/mo for service.

Until then, I'll settle for avantgo when I hotsync

------------------
-Petro

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Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 88

Please realize that the future of handheld computing rests with the current college students and those in our secondary schools. This is where the market of the future exists. If you think for a moment that this segment of the marketplace doesn't want wireless connectivity, guess again. Just look around you to see the cell phones this segment of the marketplace has already adopted. The same will occur with the handheld computer if it has wireless capabilities. A university (high schools too) of the future (the future is now) will have anytime/anyplace connectivity using wireless technology to deliver academic content and more. Bring on the wireless technology for the handheld computer -- ASAP.

Question. How many Visor users are using AvantGo? Imagine the same service available to deliver academic content to students using wireless technology - anytime/anyplace. Some universities are heading this way now. Yea.

Let the good times continue.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location:
Posts: 1

I have SprintPCS and a VDx. So where do I get 2)the serial cable?

quote:

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Originally posted by rmapes:
[B]yeah, for now, until the Mark/Space serial cable is available (hopefully in about a week), the two ways I have found to hook up my Visor to my cellphone are 1) the EFIG, and 2) the serial cradle (with flow control turned off
B]

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Posts: 181

Sure $800 is high but what do you expect when you combine an $500 Palm with a $300 phone?

quote:

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Originally posted by Petro:
At $800 you could buy a full computer!!! $800 for a cell phone and a pda!! What a rip-off!!!

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
Posts: 181

quote:

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Originally posted by Petro:
At $800 you could buy a full computer!!! $800 for a cell phone and a pda!! What a rip-off!!!

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Registered: Apr 2000
Location:
Posts: 73

the serial cable for the Visor is "coming soon" per www.markspace.com

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

quote:

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At $800 you could buy a full computer!!! $800 for a cell phone and a pda!! What a rip-off!!!

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Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 241

quote:

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But I don't agree with the notion of valuing a mobile solution against a PC on the basis of price. They're apples and oranges. It's like saying a $300 cell phone is a rip-off because you can get a desk phone for under $10. There's even less basis for comparison when you're talking about PDA/cell phone-vs.-PC, which are two entirely different tools for entirely different purposes (unless you're one of the few that actually uses your PC for IP telephony).[/B]

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I think the cut-off isn't necesarilly because one costs more than the other, I think it's because people look at item prices in ranges.

True, you can get a phone for $10, but a $300 cell phone has many more features, and is in what I call the "semi-major purchase" price range. It's expensive enough that you're not going to carelessly purchase, or be careless with your unit, but given that it's less than most people's weekly salleries ($10/hr @ 40 hr/week = about $309 after taxes, so I'm assuming most people get more than that.)

Something that costs $800 is a Major purchace!! When you concider the only difference between that $800 unit and the $300 unit is that the $800 unit is bulkier, and has another $150 unit attached to it: $300 + $150 = $450: About Half the price of the $800 unit! At that price, if you concider the bulk, a Palm V and a $300 compact cell phone take up less room, and cost ($300 + $330 = $630, $170 less than the combined unit, and easier to carry arround)
It just makes more sense not to get the single more expensive unit.

Notice how people will spend $800 for a new computer w/o monitor, and will end up spending more to get the individual things they need, then to buy the whole package together from, say, Dell. It's the large purchase price all at once that people don't like.

Anyway, I'm done with my soap box. I'll step down now



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-Petro

Go to The Hunger Site and help eliminate hunger!
All you have to do is click one button! No catch, no personal information requested!!
Please go once a day! Every day!